MLB matchup analysis

Yankees vs Diamondbacks Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Friday, September 18, 2026 at Chase Field · 9:40 PM ET

Pass

Leo decision: Pass on Yankees vs Diamondbacks

Lab Rating
5.3/10
Model lean
Diamondbacks 51.5%
Market probability
44.0%
Model edge
+7.5%
Best moneyline
+125
Sportsbooks checked
6
Leo model
51.5%
Market
44.0%

The case for Arizona Diamondbacks

Bats are hot: +0.015 wOBA
Arizona Diamondbacks is outhitting its own season form over the last 15 days. Recent form is context, not a model input, but it points the same way here.

The case for New York Yankees

Team strength favors New York Yankees
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's own team-strength model has New York Yankees ahead (63.6% to 50.0%). The pick still comes from Arizona Diamondbacks once the pitcher and bullpen terms are applied.

Why it is not official

Below the 61.0% official gate
Win probability is 51.5%. Leo does not make a game official below 61.0%, no matter how good the price is. This is a value spot, not a high-confidence winner.
Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 5.3/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 6.6/10
The Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen comes in tired. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 0/10
Leo's own win probability for Arizona Diamondbacks (51.5%) is close enough to a coin flip that the rating credits little or no conviction -- credit only starts above 55%.
Pitching plan: 30.67/40
Eduardo Rodriguez rates 73 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 22.71/50
Arizona Diamondbacks's recent form does not clearly outpace New York Yankees's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 50.0%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes Arizona Diamondbacks 50.0% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 1 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: -0.03
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward New York Yankees. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 50.0% -> 51.5%
Team strength alone had Arizona Diamondbacks at 50.0%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 51.5% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Game information

MatchupNew York Yankees at Arizona Diamondbacks
DateFriday, September 18, 2026
First pitch9:40 PM ET
VenueChase Field
Starting pitchersGerrit Cole vs Eduardo Rodriguez
WeatherGame-time forecast: 94°F, 0% precipitation chance, 5 mph wind from W. This venue has a roof, but the roof status is not confirmed.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Gerrit ColeYankees · RHP
vs
Eduardo RodriguezDiamondbacks · LHP
MetricYankeesDiamondbacks
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅔6
ThrowsRL
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)7273
ERA (lower is better)3.672.62
WHIP (lower is better)1.131.22
K/9 (higher is better)9.16.8
K-BB% (higher is better)20.0%10.5%
K% (higher is better)24.6%18.3%
BB% (lower is better)4.6%7.9%
BB/9 (lower is better)1.72.9
HR/9 (lower is better)1.60.8
Ground-ball rate37.1%45.2%
Fly-ball rate62.9%54.8%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Eduardo Rodriguez a 1-point edge over Gerrit Cole, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.81 vs 1.56) and ERA (2.62 vs 3.67).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Gerrit Cole strikeouts
4.4 Leo projected Ks
No K play · -0.1K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 4.5K · O -122 / U +104 · 5 books
5.3 Leo projected Ks
Official pick: OVER 4.5K · +0.8K difference
Market 4.5K · O -135 / U +121 · 5 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Yankees are 7-3 in their last 10 and averaging 5.1 runs per game over the last 15 days; Diamondbacks are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 4.2 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Yankees carry the better run differential per game (+0.89 against +0.00).

MetricYankeesDiamondbacks
Last 107-35-5
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)6-4 on the road4-6 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.7320.756
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3240.330
Runs per game, last 15 days5.14.2
K% last 15 days (lower is better)23.3%21.6%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysYankeesDiamondbacks
OPS0.752 (+0.031 vs szn)0.716
Runs per game5.30 (+0.711 vs szn)4.08 (-0.354 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.332 (+0.014 vs szn)0.315
K% (lower is better)24.0% (-0.6% vs szn)20.3% (+0.9% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Yankees have been the better offense, 0.332 wOBA to 0.315. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.014 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricYankeesDiamondbacks
Record88-6480-73
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.89+0.00
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.594.43
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)3.694.43
Season OPS0.7210.713
K% season (lower is better)24.6%19.5%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7390.689

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Yankees and Diamondbacks are highlighted.

Yankees
Combined risk
5.6 Normal
Fatigue
5.6 Normal
Efficiency
5.0 Average
Diamondbacks
Combined risk
6.6 Tired
Fatigue
7.4 Tired
Efficiency
6.7 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricYankeesDiamondbacks
Fatigue5.6/10, Normal7.4/10, Tired
Efficiency5.0/10, Average6.7/10, Effective
Combined risk5.6/10, Normal6.6/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days21.725.3
Back-to-back arms38
7-day ERA4.151.78
7-day WHIP1.341.14

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
9.4
Market total
7.5
Projected away runs
5.2
Projected home runs
3.9
Over price
+110
Under price
-118
New York Yankees team total
5.2 projected
Line 3.5 · O -125 / U +105
Over research lean (+1.7)
Arizona Diamondbacks team total
3.9 projected
Line 3.5 · O +114 / U -146
No team-total lean

The model projects 1.9 runs above the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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